Bura

The shutters were starting to bang last night before I went to bed so I dismantled the clothes rack on the terrace so that it wouldn’t blow over… I’m a seasoned weather watcher now. The Bura Wind comes with a vengeance, and with it comes a drop in temperature of up to 10 degrees – yesterday I was on the beach sunning myself, today I am rugged up in a woolen jumper and socks.
Despite the wind this morning¸ or maybe because of the wind, I decided to run the track through the forest behind the Hotel Osejava – I’ve showed you photos of this before, but disregard those images for now because today the view didn’t look a bit like the photos – the water was a deep gray, and the wind driving off the Biokovo Mountains was whipping the sea into a frenzy of sea haze, creating a white cap of salt laden mist as far as you could see. Everything has been battened down – motorbikes outside apartments are tethered, terrace furniture has been secured, café awnings have been yawned back into their slots. The ferocity of the wind can be unbelievable - running through the track, it sounded as though I was approaching a huge waterfall – the wind was roaring through the pine trees, carrying pieces of plastic sheets and bags and depositing them in the high branches. What sounded like a gun shot was the flag on Sveti Petar being whipped to attention. I worried about falling branches or even being blown over! I understand the warnings that are given to sailors about the unpredictability of the Bura Wind! (“if Bura is sailing, don’t sail).
At one point I took a different track and headed back out towards the cliff face, and had to brace myself from being blown over, holding tightly to my hat (it’s my Anonymous Running Hat – I’m invisible when I wear it and so it stops the curious stares!) I have never been in wind like it – and today was just a slight blow ¬ - it can blow up to 200 kms per hour. The local people don’t mind the Bura as they say it cleans and clears up the atmosphere, and when the blow is blown, visibility is excellent and the weather is sunny and clear.
The tourists in town today are ambling around with not a lot to do in this weather (added to the wind it now looks as though it may rain), layering their holiday clothes to try and keep warm – not many people sitting in the cafes outside – and the cafes that have the ability to enclose the area in plastic awnings are not my idea of fun as the air is filled with smoke.
I sat with the newspaper in my ‘Bura Wind café’ ( I have a few cafes – Bura Wind, Jugo Wind, Beach and Rain cafes) and was joined by a friend who spotted me – we talked about teenagers and unemployment, teen pressure and drugs. Deep topics with the wind blowing and the smoke wafting – and it occurred to me…. just how quickly some things become so normal (the smoke I mean, not the deep topics..).
I joined the library last week (I’m just soooo local ) and amongst the three cardboard boxes of English books found some interesting things. And then horror of horrors, spent the rest of the day curled up on my bed, wind howling, rain falling, reading a TRASHY NOVEL! How novel!!! I canna believe!! (photo is the public library – yes, also doubles as the music school , a beautiful decaying building inside).

[If you are having withdrawals because there is only one picture today, check out on U Tube – there are a couple of videos showing the Bura Wind on the Biokovo - particularly 'You Tube - Bura Kraj Makarske' which shows the salty mist layer on the sea - and then I found one of a morning climb up to Sveti Jure, the highest point in this part of the Biokovo – this is the same track that I followed to get to Vosac - - it’s pretty amazing! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMBZkWWMyzM - check it out, check it out!]